Knowing that these are the seasons of the desolation of the wicked, let us arm ourselves with the charge of the wise man – 

you need not be afraid of disaster or the plots of wicked men, for the Lord is with you; he protects you. Proverbs 3:25-26 (TLB)

Esther understood where to turn: 

Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. Esther 4:15-17

And so are we admonished by the Lord in Matthew 11:28-30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Please ponder on these words. Check your response of worry about how deliverance from unexpected trouble will come after praying against the actions of Esther in the subsequent text in Esther 5:1-5

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

How did she know what to do? Why prepare banquet for the two most powerful men in the kingdom while keeping her husband king in suspense? Did this come out of reflection on what gives the king pleasure, constant banquets appear to be the practice in the kingdom – Esther 1:11? Beyond all these conjectures, it is possible that God responded to:

1. Esther’s intimacy with Him; and
2. Israel’s supplication to Him in fellowship (as a people)

Are we in intimate relationship with God, and is there bond of love in fellowship with your brethren that you can call upon to face a challenge? This is the time to make the changes before we get overwhelmed, and self-help prevails in the place of faithfully holding to the Lord. We must heed the warning that the Lord gave Habakkuk in the days of the challenges of evil in the land.

Look at that man, bloated by self-importance full of himself but soul-empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive. Habakkuk 2:4 (MSG)

Shalom.

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash